Removals to Zagreb, Croatia

Croatia is attracting a rising number of expats from all over the UK, and many British people organising removals to Croatia settle in Dalmatia, Rijeka, Split, Istria or the capital Zagreb. Just over a million people live in the metropolitan area of Zagreb, which amounts to a quarter of the Croatian population. It is easy to see why so many people choose the capital as their home, as at its hub is an enchanting medieval 'old' city with stunning architecture. In addition, it offers a lively night life, a wealth of culture, and is seen as a relatively safe place to live in comparison to other European capitals.

Certainly, expats move to Zagreb for several reasons. It's partly the beauty and vibrancy of the city and it also helps that a good number of people speak English here (English is taught as a second language in Croatia, from primary school upwards). However, you will also get lots of opportunity to speak at least basic Croatian, as language courses are available at the country's universities.

Dolphin Movers offer house and office moves to all corners of the globe, including to Central and Eastern Europe – with frequent removals to Croatia, Hungary, Russia, Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Our business and house moves include a range of services such as packing, storage and even the shipment of specialist goods such as vehicles and motorcycles, depending on your requirements. Contact us for competitive removals from the UK abroad.

The Croatian capital is a prime tourist destination, attracting as many as three quarters of a million visitors a year. Aside from its museums, galleries and lively nightlife, it also has some beautiful scenery including parks, two popular lakes, as well as the Medvednica mountain offering sightseeing, skiing and trekking.

Whereas the Croatian islands offer a slower pace of life, with many jobs centred around the tourist season, Zagreb has a much faster pace of life. The capital is the hub of international trade and business; a third of Croatian business headquarters and two fifths of the Croatian workforce are based here. Zagreb is also seen as the crossroads of central Europe and here you can find the country's main road, rail and air networks.

Working in Zagreb

Chemical, pharmaceutical, IT, banking, technology, media, and science are among the main industries. You can expect higher than average rates of pay in Zagreb compared to the rest of the country, and a relatively low cost of living, but even so, the pay is still quite low compared to other European countries and unemployment is a big problem, standing at just over 9 per cent.

There are, however, various job opportunities for those organising removals to Croatia including jobs in medicine, education, law, telesales, agriculture and tourism; it has been a member of the EU since 2013.

International Schools in Zagreb

If you are moving house to Croatia with children, Zagreb offers a good standard of education and learning is free for children up to the age of 15. Secondary education includes high schools or vocational schools and there are also a number of private international schools in the capital. These include the British International School of Zagreb, which has an excellent reputation and has children from a variety of nationalities including USA, Canada, Russia and the UK. The city is also home to The American International School of Zagreb, a co-educational day school from Kindergarten upwards.

Shopping in Zagreb

One of the big attractions on the outskirts of the city is the Hrelic flea market which takes place on Sunday mornings. You can find all sorts of goods here including electronics, clothes, food and even second hand cars. However, for high end clothes head to Gunduliceva and Frankopanska Streets where you will find well known names such as Lacoste and Diesel. Among the shopping centres are Arena Centar (which has 200 shops and a bowling alley), Kaptol Centar (a ten minute walk from the main square), plus Importanne Centar and Importanne Galleria.

Brief History of Zagreb

There has been a settlement in Zagreb since Roman times; however, during the 17th and 18th centuries it became a wealthy city with magnificent palaces and churches attracting rich merchants and church dignitaries. The city continued to expand in the 20th century and in the 50s and 60s more residential areas were built, and the international airport, and cargo railway hub was constructed.

Zagreb was renamed the capital after Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. From 1991 – 1995, the Croatian War of Independence (or Homeland War as it is known by Croatians) followed, which saw fierce and bitter fighting with 200,000 people killed and more than 20 per cent of the economy destroyed. The war ended with victory for the Croatians.

Places to Visit in Zagreb

Full of culture and places of interest, Zagreb has many places to visit including the Mimara Museum, which has a collection of exhibits from the prehistoric period to the 20th century, as well as works of art from famous names such as Gainsborough, Caravaggio, Rubens and Rembrandt. For bars and 'beaches', head to Jarun Lake, where locals work out and go windsurfing. The Technical Museum is great for children and adults and includes old machinery and aircraft, a planetarium and the Mine, which shows examples of coal and iron mines.

Food in Zagreb

Zagreb has several cheap places to eat for snacks and sandwiches. However, for upmarket Croatian cuisine, head for Velika Klet Obitelji Buncic, which is about 20 km from the city centre. In general, Croatian food is a mix of Turkish, Hungarian and Italian cuisine and dishes you can expect to see on the menu in some of the city's restaurants include wild duck, wild goose, deer, pheasant, wild boar and rabbit, all of which will be accompanied by a straightforward vegetable dish.

Removals to Zagreb – click here to find out how we can help your domestic or commercial move from UK to Croatia run smoothly.